Chocolate Cake with Coffee Meringue Buttercream

The icing is so good that I wish I could slice each one of you a piece of this cake, right here, right now.

It is my favorite of the three cakes I made for Jeffrey's birthday.

For the cake, I made one from a mix - devil's food, I think. It was good - chocolately and tender.

This buttercream is heaven - satin. It's rich and very buttery but not so very sweet. It's the bomb.

The recipe from Rose Levy Berenbaum's The Cake Bible.

Coffee-Flavored Classic Buttercream

Ingredients:
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee, dissolved in 1 teaspoon of boiling water

Have ready a greased 1 cup heatproof glass measure near the range.

In a bowl beat the yolks with an electric mixer until light in color.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan (preferably with a nonstick lining) and heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is boiling. Stop stirring and boil to the soft-ball stage (238 degrees). Immediately transfer the syrup to the glass measure to stop the cooking.

If using an electric hand-held mixer, beat the syrup into the yolks in a steady stream. Don’t allow syrup to fall on the beaters or they will spin it onto the sides of a bowl. If using a stand mixer, pour a small amount of syrup over the yolks with the mixer turned off. Immediately beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Stop the mixer and add a larger amount of syrup. Beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Continue with the remaining syrup. For the last addition, use a rubber scraper to remove the syrup clinging to the glass measure. Continue beating until completely cool.

Gradually beat in the butter. Then add the vanilla and finally, the coffee. Place it in an airtight bowl. Bring to room temperature before using. Rebeat to restore texture.

The icing can be made ahead. It will keep at room temperature for six hours, refrigerated for one week, and can be frozen for eight months. And let me tell you: I had icing leftover so it will go in the freezer. I will be dreaming up ways to use it, besides sticking my face into the container and eating it all.